Saprotrophic fungi were investigated for their bioweathering effects on the vanadium- and lead-containing insoluble apatite group mineral, vanadinite [Pb5 (VO4 )3 Cl]. Despite the insolubility of vanadinite, fungi exerted both biochemical and biophysical effects on the mineral including etching, penetration and formation of new biominerals. Lead oxalate was precipitated by Aspergillus niger during bioleaching of natural and synthetic vanadinite. Some calcium oxalate monohydrate (whewellite) was… CONTINUE READING

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Fig. 4. Energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDXA) of crystals produced by A. niger during growth with natural vanadinite. (A) Natural vanadinite (shown in Fig. 1A) and (B) lead oxalate formed by A. niger (shown in Fig. 2). Typical spectra are shown from one of at least three determinations.